


One Second

by Changkyunnnie



Category: Cravity, Produce 101 (TV), Starshipz - Fandom, X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M, Oneshot, Soulmates, minimo rise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:35:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22619473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Changkyunnnie/pseuds/Changkyunnnie
Summary: “You’re Koo Jungmo, right?” He finally says with a chuckle, but he looks like he’s about to cry.
Relationships: Kang Minhee/Koo Jungmo
Comments: 10
Kudos: 98





	One Second

“What if-“

Jungmo shakes his head when be hears Minhee trying to again start with the dreaded conversation they’ve had a couple of hundred times before. He cuts the younger boy’s words off by lightly squeezing on Minhee’s limp hands that were in between his. Like clockwork he looks up and easily finds eye contact with the younger boy, and in the brown eyes full of expression there’s an array of emotions that Jungmo couldn’t begin to address at that moment, but he finds what he’s looking for- resignation. It means that Minhee will drop the topic, for now.

Jungmo’s relieved that Minhee understood how hard this was for him too.

“Don’t think about it.” He starts and he sees Minhee pout lightly in response but it only encourages him to continue speaking “It’s going to be okay, Minhee.” He adds slowly.

He wants to say more comforting words like ‘I promise, we’ll be together no matter what.’ But Jungmo would rather not give promises he can’t keep so he settles for a halfway comfort without knowing if the words he’s saying are for the sake of Minhee or for himself.

His voice is quiet and the words leave his mouth lightly as if they didn’t weigh anything. It seemed useless. His words feel empty, it feels like he’s just saying anything to try to be in control of this situation when he isn’t fully convinced that everything was going to be okay.

Of course, he still has his doubts because, with every bit of confidence he has, the doubts are a hundredfold more. In Jungmo’s life, doubts and insecurity will never really leave but that doesn’t matter right now because he needs to ignore them and be in control of his emotions even if it feels like he’s just drowning and there is nothing he can do.

Right now, he has to force himself to act the way he thinks he has to because he needs to be Minhee’s anchor and strength. He can’t break now during the most critical moment because he knows he’ll never forgive himself if he lets Minhee break as well if they don’t get the outcome that they’re wishing for tonight.

His Minhee has a brilliantly creative mind and Jungmo knows that at that moment the gears are running too fast. In what feels like a long agonizing moment that’s suspended in time while they wait for the clock to strike twelve, he knows Minhee is already imagining all the worst possible outcomes.

He can’t stop Minhee’s mind but if he can ask the boy to stay calm and silent then maybe they both can pretend this is just one of those normal nights together. They can pretend they’re just sitting on the comfortable couch,enjoying each other’s company while spending time together overlooking the stars and the city lights from the panoramic view of Jungmo’s living room.

The thing is, Jungmo wants everything to stop so that he can pretend to focus on the breathtaking city view but no matter how much he tries to stop, he still finds his gaze falling back on Minhee beside him.

He has memorized it- the younger’s long lashes, the button nose, the curve of his lips, the fluffy unruly hair and the way his natural freckles are dusting his face. Minhee was without a doubt more beautiful than the colorful city lights sparking below them.

He observes the other more closely when feels Minhee’s hands slowly twist from in between his grasp and he glances down and watches the younger boy’s fingers slotting in the space between his own. It’s still silent and the tension between them never leaves but he finds his lips twitching upwards in a small smile as he finally sees that Minhee’s hands are completely intertwined with his.

It feels perfect. It feels like that’s exactly where they belong.

* * *

Jungmo had heard of the name Kang Minhee during the start of his senior year in high school. Minhee was an instant campus celebrity. He was popular because he was tall, handsome and so naturally charismatic that people couldn’t even keep his name out of their mouths, even if they tried.

In a tight-knit private school like theirs, it was inevitable that Jungmo would have some common friends with the younger despite their age difference.

Hearing about Minhee, even in passing, it was weirdly so interesting to him. It was like a mystery how so many of Jungmo’s friends seem to be so happy talking about the younger boy and that’s when he had started to gain some sort of interest in finding out who the infamous freshman was.

Hyunbin, his best friend and the top role model student to everyone else was a frequent visitor of the school library. He was the one that had mentioned one time that he was so surprised at how studious Kang Minhee was. Cliché aside, it was still surprising how a popular kid like Minhee was more interested in pouring his time on academic and scientific books instead of using his free time to hang out with the numerous crowds of people that would just love to be in his presence.

That’s when he finally saw an opportunity to meet the boy that had unnaturally intrigued him so much.

Jungmo had set foot on the school library fewer times than he’d be comfortable admitting so it was nothing but a comedy trip for Hyunbin when the Koo Jungmo decides to tags along with him. In true Jungmo fashion, he tries to convince his best friend that it was nothing out of the ordinary but the eye roll he received back indicated he didn’t buy the bullshit.

Of course, everything is a blur and the only this he remembers of the event is that he finds himself sitting on a table right in front of Kang Minhee himself.

It was a sight to see- thick glasses and thick books instead of the bright and sometimes even naughty smiles people had said he was known for. In front of him, the Kang Minhee was obviously sleepy but he was busy reading from an open book and of course, he looked absolutely beautiful.

The factors of one, Jungmo being absolutely stunned by the younger boy’s existence and two, his dangerous habit of saying words out loud before he gets to fully process them was not a good combination at all. Of course, fucks up and lets the words- “When finals are over, would you go on a date with me?” slip out of his mouth just loud enough for Minhee and Hyunbin who was right next to him to hear.

It takes him a few seconds to process what he had just said and before he can start apologizing for how forward he had sounded, he’s rendered speechless yet again. The visuals of a wide-eyed and blushing Minhee, whose consciousness had probably just been woken up by Jungmo’s thoughtless words, would forever be engraved in his memory.

There was no shame in admitting that maybe that was the very moment he fell in love.

And no, Jungmo did not get that date. It was kind of horrible because Minhee had immediately scrambled to leave the library.He stuttered a- “Sorry, I don’t date strangers. Even if you’re my friends’ friends and you’re handsome.” while collecting his belongings, long arms grabbing everything in one swipe and seconds later he’s out of the room leaving Jungmo wanting to jump in a black hole. Hyunbin openly laughs at him minutes later, of course being considerate enough to give him a few moments of silence to reflect on the embarrassing act he just did.

“You’re creepy.” Hyunbin finally said after he’s done laughing at him, calculus book still unopened in front of him

Jungmo sighed at him but hissed a reply. “I’m in love.” He says simply.

Hyunbin rolled his eyes and hit Jungmo with one of the science books that Jungmo had pretended to be interested in- it was for sophomores.

“At least he called you handsome.” Hyunbin consoled.

“He did?” Jungmo perks up.

“Nah.”

“Hyunbin!”

* * *

Their getting together story was much more anti-climatic than it should have been and of course, they have Ham Wonjin to blame for it.

It starts with Wonjin, their common friend who is a junior, bursting into Jungmo’s classroom screaming “He likes you!” in an accusing manner. Jungmo’s not sure how he should react to that because there’s a lot of ‘he’ who could probably like him considering he’s a campus crush in an all-boys high school, not trying to brag at all. But of course, he still spares Wonjin a questioning look. It’s the least he can do with the younger’s dramatic entrance and all and in the typical manner that he always does with a well-modulated soft voice asks “Who likes me, Wonjinnie?”and in typical Ham Wonjin manner, he gets an unamused stare from the younger in response.

Wonjin sighs and without prompting he sits on the seat in front of Jungmo’s table, he places his hands on Jungmo’s desk and drums his fingers on it before speaking. “You know? Tall, freshman, freckles.”

Jungmo’s already forming a vision of someone named Kang Minhee. Wonjin continues speaking.

“The one that couldn’t stop thinking of the pretty senior that creepily asked him in the library if he would go on a date after finals. Does that even ring a bell?”

From his side, Jungmo hears Hyunbin saying something along the lines of “Oh he knows which freshman that is.” But he’s already blocking it all out as he stands up and asks Wonjin which class Kang Minhee was at.

For the second time in his eighteen-year-old life at that moment he lets his heart and mouth run faster than his brain when he asks Minhee to be his boyfriend in the hallways outside of class 1-A. This time he finally gets the boy.

But of course, that’s just the start of their story.

* * *

Now they’re here, still happily together two years after but with an uncertain future that will be decided by the passing of just one second and the changing of Minhee’s age to one year older.

Koo Jungmo is twenty and his wrist is as blank as the day he had met Kang Minhee when he was eighteen years old.

Two years ago, he didn’t know he would be holding someone’s hand so desperately wishing that their name would be permanently engraved on his skin and in effect, also his soul from that day and on to the future.

It’s a wish he desperately hopes comes true.

So many times in his life Jungmo had witnessed young relationships quickly falling apart once the parties involved reached the point where they would get a confirmation that they aren’t each other’s soulmates.

It’s acceptable for non-soulmate couples to just drift apart and break up when the confirmation happens. It’s obviously hard to keep on loving someone when the world physically gives you a sign that it has decided that sometime in the future you will find someone perfect for you and it is not the person that’s currently holding your hand and making you happy.

The idea of this case happening to them is a nightmare to Jungmo. He hopes that the big question mark in his and Minhee’s relationship will be a positive answer.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Minhee was someone who had helped bring out the better parts of him. Minhee grounds him and tries to make Jungmo less spontaneous and more accountable to his actions and decisions.

Minhee was the younger one but he always seemed to want to take all of the world’s problems and solve them, even Jungmo’s. He wants to be a scientist so he can find truths about the world that can somehow be able to make a change. If Minhee can find just one answer to anything that can help others, Jungmo knows that for the younger, that would be enough.

It’s ironic that Minhee pursues the sciences and yet right now the very reason they’re both filled with anxiety and uncertainty is a phenomenon that science can’t begin to explain.

What’s worse is that no amount of money or experimentation would be able to rewrite destiny. Nothing can dictate what the future holds. He can’t have Minhee’s name naturally inked by the world to his wrist just because he thinks his heart is only for Kang Minhee. This is what scares him, everything is out of his control. He has found it so hard to breathe living with these thoughts in his head. Thankfully, it’s finally going to end tonight.

Minhee, the boy whose name already makes him smile so naturally, the boy whose presence brightens up his life in the ways that cannot be explained- he’ll finally know if Minhee is really his, and if he is Minhee’s as well.

Tonight, Minhee is turning eighteen years old and the only think Jungmo wishes for is that destiny decides that his name is going to appear in black ink on Minhee’s wrist.

* * *

“If the tattoo doesn’t show up.” Minhee starts again, his voice is small and sad. It’s so unlike his Minhee. His Minhee was confident and funny, someone that’s able to joke around even in the hardest of situations. Jungmo wants to silence him. He wants to tell the younger not to think about that conclusion but he can’t. It’s the same thing filling his thoughts right now.

He realizes that he’s just on the edge like the younger. The fear that he tried to push away is finally catching upon him.

It’s dawning on him just how scared he is of losing the boy in front of him. He doesn’t want to lose the sun radiating the warmth in his life. He doesn’t want to let go of the hand that perfectly fits his own. He doesn’t want anyone new to make him happy like Minhee does. He only wants this boy that left him hanging in the high school library on their first meeting only to accept him after a cheap corridor confession.

Jungmo doesn’t want anyone else.

This time he decides to hold his breath and to keep his mouth shut. He lets Minhee talk while he focuses only on the weight of Minhee’s hand on his and the way the other’s fluffy hair is messy and sticking out in the most adorable way.

He pushes the thought that 12 am, the dreaded second can strike at any moment.

“If it doesn’t show up, Jungmo-hyung, promise me we’ll still try. Promise me you’ll love me the same until we find the ones that are meant for us.” Minhee tells him. His voice is wavering, it sounds fragile but it’s enough to snap Jungmo out of his trance.

“Of course. I promise.” Jungmo replies slowly and he feels Minhee exhale. It looked like the younger felt so relieved that he promised that they’d still be together no matter what.

Of course.

Of course it’s Minhee that turns this situation around. It’s Minhee that somehow gives Jungmo strength despite the older wanting to be the one in control. While he was busy thinking about how this night would be the end of them if he doesn’t get Minhee’s name on his wrist, Minhee’s here asking him to fight for their love even if the world would decide they aren’t for each other.

It’s so stupid, to be able to be controlled by destiny like this. It’s so odd to have a universal indication on one’s wrist of which person you belonged to and to believe it and let it dictate the future. And yet as stupid as it is, Jungmo had always yearned that once he looks at his skin, the name of his lover would be there.

* * *

He removes one of his hands from Minhee’s grasp and the younger let him, but not without squeezing the other hand tighter. He slowly reaches out to guide the younger boy’s head to his shoulder and he feels Minhee breathe in. It’s a familiar action he’d always done to comfort the younger through the years they’ve been together.

He lets Minhee comfortably lean on him, his nose on the junction of Jungmo’s shoulder and within seconds he feels the younger’s being against his. Minhee wraps his free arm loosely around Jungmo and settles in the position and says no more.

They stay silent for what seems like an eternity. He just lets Minhee’s breathing be the sound in the room as he runs his fingers on the boy’s raven locks.

Like always, the younger’s hair is soft and fluffy like a baby’s. Jungmo thinks he can’t believe Minhee’s about to turn eighteen. Minhee had always been intellectually mature but it still amazes Jungmo how his playful cheeky boyfriend is about to really enter adulthood. He’s so thankful that this Minhee is here with him, deciding for himself that he wants to have Jungmo in his future.

_“Oh.”_ Minhee gasps softly.

He feels Minhee’s hand that was resting on his back move. “Oh?” The younger boy repeats as he moves back quickly, separating himself from Jungmo’s hold and it finally dawns on Jungmo that something had happened.

He holds his breath as Minhee finally moves away from him, fully. The younger boy’s face lightens up in the most innocently beautiful way as he’s visibly looking at his left wrist.

Jungmo just stares at the younger. He couldn’t feel anything- he’s just numbed as if time has stopped with Minhee’s eyes focused on his own wrist, and a beautiful wide wide smile decorating his pretty little lips.

The time has finally come.

“Hyung.” Minhee’s voice booms powerfully, deep but innocent. It’s so familiar. This is his Minhee again, the confident playful sunshine Minhee.

“Hyung.” He repeats again, just in case Jungmo didn’t catch his words the first time.

“Yes, mini?”

“You’re Koo Jungmo, right?” He finally says with a chuckle, but he looks like he’s about to cry. “Koo Jungmo?” Minhee repeats as if he’s in a state of disbelief.

Oh.

Jungmo says nothing and for the first time, he takes his eyes off Minhee. He takes his time to look down on his right wrist.

For two years it’s been markless.

Now, two years after meeting the love of his life he finally sees a name written on it. “Kang Minhee” it says in strong black ink.

It’s stamped, approved and forever marked by destiny that his angel truly is the one for him, from that moment until the end.

Simply put, it’s unreal.

“You’re Kang Minhee?” He finally asks back. Unlike Minhee’s, Jungmo feels his voice nearly cracks, raw from shock.

“You’re Kang Minhee, my soulmate?” Jungmo repeats again, disbelief, happiness mixed in his voice.

“Yeah. I’m Kang Minhee.”

Jungmo reaches for Minhee’s face then. Let’s his hand rest on the other’s pretty cheek, lets his thumb wipe the few teardrops streaming from the younger boy’s cheeks. He’s just so beautiful, this soulmate named Kang Minhee and he’s the only one for Jungmo.

He cradles Minhee’s face. The younger boy is smiling again, it’s the brightest smile Jungmo has ever seen. It’s a genuinely happy smile and it puts him at ease, and just like that Jungmo could finally breathe.

He can finally love without worries. Make promises without the ifs and maybes that’s haunting him and making him scared to fall more deeply in love for the beautiful soul that is Minhee. This is it. The continuation of the beautiful story they had so far, and the start of their story of forever and just as he did with their first meeting he lets his mouth run fasted than his brain.

“Can I kiss you, Kang Minhee?” He asks as he lets his thumb run through Minhee’s soft lips. Minhee instantly smiles at his words.

Unlike their first meeting he doesn’t get a response, nor does he get rejected, instead he feels warm hands trembling as it rests on top of his own that was on the younger’s cheeks.

He feels Minhee leaning over and Jungmo watches in anticipation as Minhee closes the gap between them. Jungmo feels the younger’s breathing before he feels the soft lips touch his lightly. It’s almost like Minhee was scared that this wasn’t real and be understood.

When Minhee pulls away, just a little bit after Jungmo smiles and pulls him back to plant a gross wet Minhee’s right cheek and a soft little peck at the tip of Minhee’s button nose. The absurdity of the action is what set everything off. Suddenly all the tension that’s been building up inside them and between them bursts in a bubble of laughter and maybe they’re still crying while laughing but this is exactly why they’re soulmates.

“Happy Birthday, you big baby. I love you.” Jungmo finally says later on when they’ve finally calmed down and Minhee has his arms wrapped around Jungmo, body haphazardly clinging on the older at the edge of the couch.

“I love you too, hyung.” Minhee whispers softly. Jungmo feels the younger tighten his grip on him.

It feels perfect. It’s just perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I haven’t written in a while and I’m absolutely not confident in this piece...but I figured I’d literally perish if I didn’t suck it up and make at least one contribution to the minimo tag in my sad life. Please support minhee and jungmo / minimo nation, thank you!
> 
> Starshipz twt - @ seriminimo :)


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